Man found guilty in attack on elderly veteran

The verdict is in for the man accused of a vicious attack on an elderly war veteran during a home invasion.

It didn't take a Harris County jury long to reach a decision and now the jurors are deciding how long Charles Turner should spend in prison. The jury spent Wednesday afternoon listening to witnesses in the punishment phase of Turner's aggravated robbery trial. First they found him guilty in the robbery and attack that cost a Korean War veteran an eye and all of his teeth.

The jury deliberated for a little more than an hour and right after lunch returned their verdict - guilty.

The 209th court began the day with closing arguments. First the defense told the jury there was no proof Charles Jacquard Turner acted alone in the aggravated robbery at Thomas Mixon's house in South Houston nearly two years ago.

On Tuesday the 81-year-old Korean War veteran took the stand and in heart-wrenching testimony told jurors he could not remember the attack. He only remembered waking up in the hospital days later. He lost an eye and all his teeth.

Then the prosecution made their closing arguments, saying they had eliminated any suspects besides Turner, and that Turner, acting alone, had walked into the Mixon house. And when Mixon came home, Turner beat him with his own rifle before picking through his pockets and stealing his truck.

"Do not let this man get away with what he thought was murder," the prosecutor implored the jury.

In court, Mixon's family came out in force, and so did some Marines, there to support a brother in arms.

Tent Col. Trent A. Gibson said, "We're here to honor him in the midst of these circumstances and to show him that once a Marine, always a Marine."

The sentence for aggravated robbery is anywhere from five years to life in prison.